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Rivers contain
a minute
amount of
water at any
one time.
Lakes contain
100 times
more water
than all rivers.
Wetlands play
a vital role in
the
hydrological
cycle.
Part 3: Water Availability and Use
Clean, fresh water is requisite for
human survival.
Renewable water supplies
consist of surface runoff and
infiltration into accessible
freshwater aquifers (shallow
ground water). These supplies are
most plentiful in the Tropics.
Picture to the left shows a ditch
being used to divert water for
irrigation of crops. Water rights for
such activities have long been a
source of tension and conflict.
Part 4: Freshwater Shortages
About 25% of the world's people
lack adequate, clean drinking
water and about 50% lack
adequate sanitation.
Water stress is a phrase used to
describe countries where water
consumption exceeds by >20%
the available, renewable water
supply
Widespread water shortages are
predicted by 2025.
Depleting Groundwater
Groundwater provides nearly 40% of the fresh water for
agricultural and domestic use in the United States. In many
areas in the U.S., groundwater is being withdrawn from
aquifers faster than natural recharge can replace it.
Withdrawing large amounts of groundwater in a small area
causes porous formations to collapse, resulting in
subsidence.
Sinkholes form when an underground channel or cavern
collapses.
Saltwater intrusion can occur along coastlines where overuse of
freshwater reservoirs draws the water table low enough to allow
saltwater to intrude.
Ogallala Aquifer (large aquifer in the Central Plains) - water
usage here is the similar to mining for a nonrenewable
resource and the water resource is being depleted rapidly.
San Joaquin Valley, California - ground surface sinking is
occurring due to excessive groundwater pumping.
Ways to Increase Water Supplies
Building Dams, Canals and Reservoirs
Seeding Clouds
Condensation Nuclei
Towing Icebergs
Cost
Desalination
Most common methods are distillation and reverse
osmosis.
Three to four times more expensive than most other sources.
Dams are controversial in terms of environmental costs, justice,
price mechanisms and water policy, sedimentation, evaporative
losses, etc.
Part 5: Water Management and
Conservation
Watershed management
Sound farming and
forestry practices
Wetlands conservation
Domestic conservation
Water reclamation and
recycling
Water rights
Domestic Conservation
Nonmetallic Salts
Many salts that are non-toxic at low concentrations can be mobilized by
irrigation and concentrated by evaporation, reaching levels toxic to
plants and animals.
Leaching of road salts has had detrimental effect on many ecosystems.
Natural Processes
In many areas, outdoor urination and defecation is the
norm.
When population densities are low, natural processes can
quickly eliminate waste.